Longspine snipefish
| Longspine snipefish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Syngnathiformes |
| Family: | Centriscidae |
| Subfamily: | Macroramphosinae |
| Genus: | Macroramphosus |
| Species: | M. scolopax |
| Binomial name | |
| Macroramphosus scolopax (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
The longspine snipefish, bellowfish, common bellowsfish, snipe-fish, snipefish, spine trumpet fish, or trumpetfish, Macroramphosus scolopax, is a snipefish of the genus Macroramphosus. It is also known as the slender snipefish off the South African coast.[1]
Distribution
This fish is found worldwide in tropical to subtropical water[1] in the Atlantic, Indian, and west Pacific Oceans, at depths of 25 to 600 m (82 to 1,969 ft).
Description
Longspine snipefish are reddish pink dorsally but have silvery bellies. They have a large eye, long snouts and a slender spine protruding dorsally.[1]
Ecology
The longspine snipefish feeds on crustacean zooplankton such as copepods and ostracods, as well as benthic invertebrates.[1]
In the month-long NORFANZ Expedition of 2003 which examined the biodiversity of the seamounts and slopes of the Norfolk Ridge, 5000 specimens averaging 78 g (2.8 oz) were collected from three locations.[2]
References
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Macroramphosus scolopax" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8